, Columnist
Germany’s Bet on Solar Power May Get Lost in the Wind
Government planners are finding it hard to balance between renewable-energy technologies.
No windfall for this.
Photographer: Patrick Pleul/AFP/Getty Images
This article is for subscribers only.
As Germany prepares to pass its climate protection plan through 2030, the government is trying to decide whether to prioritize solar or wind energy. The latest version of the plan leans toward solar, and that makes economic sense, but it also represents something of an unwelcome turnabout for the existing renewables industry, which is mostly wind-focused.
In the most recent version of the program, the 2030 target for installed wind power capacity has been lowered, while the target for solar has been substantially increased.